Effects of local source-sink manipulations on fruits and leaves of young pear trees

The effects of modifying local source-sink relations on fruit and leaf characteristics of young pear trees were evaluated during the 1997 - 1998 growing season. The following treatments were applied: early spur ringing (ESR) from 27 days after full bloom (DAFB), late spur ringing (LSR) from 97 DAFB, early 15 % spur leaf area removal (ELAR) and late 15 % spur leaf area removal (LLAR). ESR and LSR significantly inhibited fruit growth, suggesting that the fruiting spurs were not fully autonomous in their carbon economy. ELAR and LLAR had little effect on fruit size; sink strength was demonstrated here, since the presence of the fruit caused an efficient transfer of photoassimilates. ESR treatment decreased specific leaf mass (SLM) by 23.84 % when measured 94 DAFB. ELAR did not significantly influence SLM. Treatments had no marked influence on fruit quality. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of water stress on leaf growth and photosynthetic and transpiration rates of Tectona grandis

The response of pear fruit and leaf parameters to shade imposed during development was studied. Whole branches of mature trees of Pyrus communis L. cv. Bartlett growing in the High Valley area of Argentina were covered with a shade cloth (80 % reduction in irradiance) from 6 to 18 weeks after full bloom (WAFB) during the 1995-96 growing season. Fruit diameter was measured at two-weekly intervals; flesh firmness, soluble solids concentration, and leaf area were determined 18 WAFB. Prolonged shading significantly reduced fruiting spur specific leaf mass and consequently resulted in 20.79 % less final fruit fresh mass. However, flesh firmness was 8.07 % lower under full irradiance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seasonal Changes in the Photosynthetic Rate in Apple Trees : A Comparison between Fruiting and Nonfruiting Trees

Seasonal changes in photosynthesis of apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) were monitored to examine the effect of source-sink interactions on photosynthesis and photorespiration. Elevated photosynthetic rates were observed during two periods of the growing season and correlated with the fruiting process. The first period of increased photosynthetic rates was during the bloom period, when spur leaves on flowering shoots exhibited up to 25% higher photosynthetic rates than vegetative spur leaves on a leaf area basis. CO₂ assimilation rates were also higher in fruiting trees than nonfruiting trees during the period of rapid fruit growth from July to September. Photorespiration, dark respiration, leaf resistance, and transpiration exhibited no seasonal changes which correlated to the presence or absence of fruit. These data represent the first comprehensive examination of the effects of flowering/fruit formation on photosynthesis and photorespiration in perennial plants.     

Regulation of nitrogen partitioning in field-grown almond trees: Effects of fruit load and foliar nitrogen applications

Two treatments were employed to influence the amount of amino nitrogen (N) transport in phloem. In walnut trees (Juglans regia L.), developing fruit significantly reduced the efflux of foliar-applied ¹⁵N-enriched urea from treated spurs over a 33-day period in comparison with similarly-treated defruited spurs. Those data suggest that local aboveground demand for N influences vascular transport of amino N. In another experiment, a 1% urea solution was applied foliarly to 5-year old `Mission' almond trees [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb] to increase the concentration of amino N in the phloem. The effect of foliar N treatments on a) the transport and distribution of labelled urea N within the trees over the experimental period and b) the uptake of soil-applied labelled N were determined by replicated whole tree excavation, fractionation into various tree components and mass spectrometric analyses of the ¹⁴N/¹⁵N ratios. Concentrations and composition of amino acids in the phloem and xylem saps of control trees and trees receiving foliar-applied urea were also determined. In foliar urea-treated trees, the amino acid concentrations increased significantly in leaf and bark phloem exudate, within 24 and 96 h, respectively. Foliar-applied urea N was translocated to the roots of almond trees over the experimental period and decreased soil N uptake. The results of these experiments are consistent with the hypothesis that aboveground N demand affects the amount of amino N cycling between shoots and roots, and may be involved in the regulation of soil N uptake. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Bed and bed-site reuse by western lowland gorillas (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gorilla g. gorilla</Emphasis>) in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park,Gabon

In this paper we describe bed (nest) and bed-site reuse by western lowland gorillas (Gorilla g. gorilla) in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, south-eastern Gabon. During an eight-month study 44 bed sites and 506 beds were found. Among these, 38.6% of bed sites and 4.1% of beds were reused. We analyzed the monthly frequency of bed-site reuse in relation to rainfall, fruit abundance, and fruit consumption by the gorillas. The different frequency of bed-site reuse in the rainy and dry seasons was not significant. More bed-site reuse was observed during the fruiting season than during the non-fruiting season. Results from fecal analysis suggested that gorillas ate more fruit in the fruiting season than in the non-fruiting season. The frugivorous diet of western gorillas may possibly cause gorillas to stay in some areas and, consequently, reuse their bed sites. Reuse of bed sites by gorillas suggests their frequent return to an area where preferred fruit is readily available. A higher percentage of arboreal beds may also affect bed-site reuse, because of the shortage of bed material.     

Changes of Starch and Sorbitol in Leaves Before and After Removal of Fruits from Peach Trees

Changes in contents of nonstructural carbohydrates in leaves,as well as some characteristics of leaves before and after fruitremoval, were investigated in potted peach (Prunus persica L.)trees. Leaf area and dry mass per unit leaf area (SLW) at thefruit-maturation stage decreased with increasing numbers ofpeaches per tree, whereas the chlorophyll content per unit areain leaves of fruiting trees increased. The chlorophyll contentdecreased more rapidly upon removal of fruit than that in leavesof fruiting trees. The starch content per unit dry mass in leavesof fruiting trees at the fruit-maturation stage was lower thanthat in leaves of non-fruiting trees. Starch accumulated significantlyin leaves within 1 d of removal of fruit during the fruit-maturationstage and continued to increase thereafter. The accumulationof starch after removal of fruit occurred more rapidly thanthe decrease in chlorophyll content. Reducing and non-reducingsugars (total sugars) per unit dry mass in the leaves were higherin fruiting trees than in non-fruiting trees. After fruit removal,the total sugar content of leaves increased temporarily andthen gradually decreased. The sorbitol content per unit freshmass in leaves of fruiting trees during the fruit-maturationstage was slightly higher than that in leaves of non-fruitingtrees. One day after removal of fruit, the sorbitol contentincreased in parallel with the accumulation of starch and remainedhigh. The sucrose content of leaves did not change markedlyupon removal of fruit. Prunus persica L.; peach leaves; nonstructural carbohydrate; starch and sorbitol; fruit removal     

Intracanopy variation in nitrogen cycling through leaves is influenced by irradiance and proximity to developing fruit in mature walnut trees

Intracanopy variation in net leaf nitrogen (N) resorption and N cycling through leaves in mature walnut (Juglans regia L. cv Hartley) trees were monitored in 3 different years. Differential irradiance among the spurs sampled was inferred from differences among leaves in dry weight per unit area (LW/LA) which varied from 4.0 mg · cm^–2 to 7.0 mg · cm^–2 in shaded (S) and exposed (E) canopy positions, respectively. Our results, using ¹⁵N-depleted (NH₄)₂SO₄ validated the concept that N influx and efflux through fully expanded leaves occurred concurrently during the period of embryo growth. Additionally, it also suggested that N influx into leaves was substantially greater in exposed as compared with shaded canopy positions. Because of its well documented phloem immobility, leaf Ca accumulation was used to better estimate the relative influx of N into exposed and shaded leaves. N cycling varied locally within the tree canopy, i. e. Ca (and presumably N) influx was 100% greater in exposed than shaded tree canopy positions, but influx was not influenced significantly by the proximity of developing fruit. In contrast, both the amount and percentage N efflux was significantly greater during embryo growth in fruit-bearing than defruited spurs. Net leaf N resorption averaged 2–4 times greater (25–30%) in fruit-bearing spurs than the 5–10% decrease in the leaf N content in defruited spurs. Since about 90% of leaf N content reportedly occurs as protein, fruit N demand apparently influenced protein turnover and catalysis in associated spur leaves. The amount of leaf N resorption was greater in exposed than shaded positions in the tree canopy in 2 of the 3 years of data collection. Our data show that like leaf N content, N influx, N efflux and net leaf N resorption vary throughout mature walnut tree canopies under the combined local influences of fruiting and irradiance.     

Nitrogen storage dynamics are affected by masting events in Fagus crenata

It is generally assumed that the production of a large crop of seeds depletes stores of resources and that these take more than 1 year to replenish; this is accepted, theoretically, as the proximate mechanism of mast seeding (resource budget model). However, direct evidence of resource depletion in masting trees is very rare. Here, we trace seasonal and inter-annual variations in nitrogen (N) concentration and estimate the N storage pool of individuals after full masting of Fagus crenata in two stands. In 2005, a full masting year, the amount of N in fruit litter represented half of the N present in mature leaves in an old stand (age 190–260 years), and was about equivalent to the amount of N in mature leaves in a younger stand (age 83–84 years). Due to this additional burden, both tissue N concentration and individual N storage decreased in 2006; this was followed by significant replenishment in 2007, although a substantial N store remained even after full masting. These results indicate that internal storage may be important and that N may be the limiting factor for fruiting. In the 4 years following full masting, the old stand experienced two moderate masting events separated by 2 years, whilst trees in the younger stand did not fruit. This different fruiting behavior may be related to different “costs of reproduction” in the full masting year 2005, thus providing more evidence that N may limit fruiting. Compared to the non-fruiting stand, individuals in the fruiting stand exhibited an additional increase in N concentrations in roots early in the 2007 growing season, suggesting additional N uptake from the soil to supply resource demand. The enhanced uptake may alleviate the N storage depletion observed in the full masting year. This study suggests that masting affects N cycle dynamics in mature Fagus crenata and N may be one factor limiting fruiting.     

The Morphogenesis of Apple Buds: IV. The Effect of Fruit

The course of development of spur buds on fruiting trees of‘biennial’ and ‘regular’ apple varietieswas followed throughout the season by dissection of successivesamples of buds and the effect on bud development of de-fruitingtrees at two different times in the season was recorded. In the biennially fruiting variety Miller's Seedling, the patternof bud development on fruiting trees was very similar to thatin buds on non-fruiting trees which failed to form flowers followingdefoliation, as were the number and sizes of leaves precedingthe bud in each instance. The failure to form flowers was associatedwith the occurrence of an 18-day plastochrone in buds, and itwas concluded that on fruiting trees it was not due to a competitiveeffect of the fruit for nutrients. This long plastochrone was not found in buds of de-blossomedtrees of Miller's Seedling, and in trees de-fruited later inthe season the buds immediately broke into a new flush of growthand at the same time the plastochrone was shortened. These resultssuggest that the long plastochrone was due to the inhibitoryeffect of fruit on the older primordia of the bud, an effectwhich did not occur until after the resting buds had begun toform. A phase with an 18-day plastochrone was also found inbuds of another biennial variety, Laxton's Superb, but not inthose of the regularly fruiting variety Sunset. Developing fruitlets of biennial varieties caused bud-scalesto form sooner and hastened their rate of development, possiblydue to changes induced in the levels of a gibberellin-like apexfactor in the buds. The rate of increase in number of bud-scalesin the bud appeared to depend upon the extent to which the budwas affected by the primary leaves of the flower cluster andthose of other clusters.     

Effects of boron fertilization on `Conference' pear tree vigor, nutrition, and fruit yield and storability

The aim of the study was to examine the response of pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees to soil and foliar applications of boron (B). The experiment was carried out during 2000–2001 in a commercial orchard in Central Poland on mature `Conference' pear trees grafted on Pyrus communis var. caucasica seedlings planted at a spacing of 4 × 2.5 m on a sandy loam soil with a low hot water-extractable B status. Annually, foliar sprays with B were applied. (i) before full bloom (at green and white bud stage, and when 1–5% of flowers was at full bloom), (ii) after flowering (at petal fall, and 7 and 14 days after the end of flowering), or (iii) postharvest in fall (approximately 6 weeks before leaf fall). Spray treatments involved application of B at a rate of 0.2 kg ha^–1 in spring or 0.8 kg ha^–1 in fall. Additionally, other trees were supplied with soil-applied B at the bud break stage at a rate of 2 kg ha^–1. Trees untreated with B served as the control. The results revealed that foliar applications of B before full bloom or after harvest increased fruit set and fruit yield. Tree vigor, mean fruit weight, firmness, soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity of fruits at harvest were not affected by B treatments. Foliar B sprays before full bloom or after harvest increased B concentrations in flowers, and both leaves and fruitlets at 40 days after flowering. Only the foliar treatments after flowering and soil fertilization with B increased the content of this microelement in fruit and leaves at 80 and 120 days after full bloom. Foliar B application before full bloom or after harvest increased calcium (Ca) in fruitlets at 40 days after full bloom, in fruit, and in leaves at 80 and 120 days after full bloom. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) in plant tissues were not affected by B fertilization. After storage, and also after the ripening period, fruits from the trees sprayed with B before full bloom or after harvest had higher firmness and titratable acidity than those from the control trees. After the ripening period, fruits from the trees sprayed with B before full bloom or after harvest had lower membrane permeability and were less sensitive to internal browning than the control fruits. These findings indicate that prebloom and postharvest B sprays are successful in increasing pear tree yielding and in improving fruit storability under the conditions of low B availability in the soil.     

Photosynthesis and carbohydrate partitioning in sweet cherry: Fruiting effects

The effect of fruiting on carbon fixation and retention in leaves was monitored by measuring net photosynthesis (Pn) and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) on a seasonal basis on mature fruiting and non-fruiting sweet cherry trees ( Prunus avium L. cv. Bing). Pn was also measured diurnally during stages II and III of fruit development. Pn rates increased to between 18 and 20 mg CO₂ dm^-2 h^-1 during stage II of fruit development and were maintained until harvest. Diurnally, Pn increased in the morning to 20 mg CO₂ dm^-2 h^-1 and this rate continued until sunset. Leaf carbohydrate levels decreased in both fruiting and non-fruiting trees beginning at the equivalent of stage II of fruit growth. Carbohydrates were lower in leaves and woody portions of current, 1- and 2-year-old shoots of fruiting trees. Although differences were found in levels of non-structural carbohydrates, no differences in Pn were found in fruiting vs non-fruiting plants on either a seasonal or a diurnal basis. Pn rates in swet cherry in the field were primarily affected by ontogeny and environment and not by sink strength.     

Effect of crop load on phytohormones,sugars, and biennial bearing in apple trees

The amount and composition of phytohormones, sugars, and some other leaf characteristics depending on a crop load were evaluated in apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Ligol grafted on P 60 rootstock) trees in order to prevent biennial bearing. The crop load was adjusted to 12 (control, unthinned), 8, 4, and 0 (non-fruiting) inflorescences (or fruits) per cm² of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA). Inflorescences were removed in May before flowering. Phytohormones were analyzed in axillary buds and leaves in September. Results show that, in contrast to the unthinned trees, thinning to 4 fruits cm^?2(TCSA) resulted in a significant decrease of yield per tree, but a significant increase of fruit mass, return bloom, and leaf area. The heavy crop load resulted in suppressed bloom in the following year. Composition and content of phytohormones was changed considerably. Moreover, thinning resulted in an increased hexose accumulation. Such data suggest that flowering inhibition depended on the phytohormones that were exported to buds and on sugar-hormone signalling cross-talk.     

Effect of snow removal on leaf water potential,soil moisture,leaf and soil nutrient status and leaf peroxidase activity of sugar maple

Effect of removal of snow cover in winter was investigated in an 80-year-old sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) stand in southern Quebec. We hypothesized that winter soil frost would induce some of the decline symptoms observed in sugar maple stands in southern Quebec in the early 1980's. Snow was continuously removed from around trees for a one week (partial removal) or for a four-month period (complete removal) during the 1990–1991 winter. Foliage and soils were sampled periodically during the summer of 1991. The complete snow removal treated trees showed decreased leaf water potential and increased peroxidase activity over most of the growing season. Foliar Ca was reduced in both snow removal treatments early in the growing season while foliar N was reduced in the complete snow removal trees late in the growing season. Soil NO ₃ ^– and K⁺ were elevated in both snow removal treatments at various times throughout the growing season. Prolonged soil frost in a sugar maple stand can induce lower leaf water potential, higher leaf peroxidase activity and early leaf senescence during the following growing season. Soil frost may have reduced nutrient uptake without affecting significantly the leaf nutrient status.     

Partitioning of leaf nitrogen with respect to within canopy light exposure and nitrogen availability in peach (Prunus persica)

Summary Relationships between leaf nitrogen content and within canopy light exposure were studied in mature nectarine peach trees (Prunus persica cv. Fantasia) that had received 0, 112, 196, 280 or 364 kg of fertilizer nitrogen per hectare per year for the previous 3 years. The relationships between light saturated leaf CO₂ assimilation rates and leaf nitrogen concentration were also determined on trees in the highest and lowest nitrogen fertilization treatments. The slope of the linear relationship between leaf N content per unit leaf area and light exposure was similar for all nitrogen treatments but the y-intercept of the relationship increased with increasing N status. The slope of the relationship between leaf N content per unit leaf area and light saturated CO₂ assimilation rates was greater for the high N trees than the low N trees, but maximum measured leaf CO₂ assimilation rates were similar for both the high and low N treatments. A diagrammatic model of the partitioning of leaf photosynthetic capacity with respect to leaf light exposure for high and low nitrogen trees suggests that the major influence of increased N availability is an increase in the photosynthetic capacity of partially shaded leaves but not of the maximum capacity of highly exposed leaves.     

疏花对富士苹果光合同化物分配的外部调节和生理表现

在盛花期,利用对树冠不同部位疏除花序的试验。对富士苹果树体内同化物的调配及其生理表现进行了研究。结果表明,苹果平均单果重和平均单果叶面积之间关系呈线性正相关。该相关关系在不同处理之间无差异（r=0.91),充分说明在苹果树体内存在一个可自由流动的碳水化合物库或者说树体对结果具有光合调节作用,疏花可以从外部调节光合同化物分配的方向。对每株苹果树未结果部位和结果部位短枝及延长枝叶片净光合速率测定表明。结果和未结果部位光合速率没有显著差异。虽然疏花没有显著影响苹果单株枝条生长量和叶面积,但是,苹果树树冠全部疏除花序的一侧 或主枝的平均枝条生长量和叶面积去比该树其它结果部位分别平均高出153.5cm和8900cm^2,差异极为显著。苹果树疏除花序1/2或3/4的数量使苹果平均单果重比不疏花分别显著增加了33g或79g。而果实钙浓度每百克鲜重分别降低了1.62mg或2.66mg,充分说明当疏花显著地影响果实大小时,果实内钙浓度也会明显地发生相应的变化,虽然在疏花处理之间不同部位疏除花序没有影响单株花芽总数量,但是,每株树前一年春季疏花的部位比未疏花,结果的部位极显著地增加了花芽数量（SED=11.6)。     

Effects of root restriction on the growth and physiology of cucumber plants

Cucumber plants ( Cucumis sativus L. cv. Athene F1) were grown with four treatments: unrestricted root volume fruiting (UF); unrestricted root volume non-fruiting (UN); restricted root volume fruiting (RF); and restricted root volume non-fruiting (RN). Restricting root volume to 40 ml reduced leaf area, and by day 60 leaf area was only 20% that of unrestricted plants. Leaf area reduction in restricted plants was due to a combination of smaller and fewer leaves. Root restriction strongly depressed total dry matter production in both root and shoot. Significant differences of treatments in shoot and root growth rates were akpparent 30 days after sowing. RN plants had a 70% lower net photosynthesis (P_n), stomatal conductance (g_s) and transpiration rate (E) measured on day 50, while root restriction had no effect on P_n in fruiting plants, although g_s and E were significantly decreased due to restriction. Respiration capacity of restricted roots decreased sharply after day 24 compared with unrestricted root systems. Initially, O₂ may have been the limiting resource and root respiration capacity a major factor involved in root restriction, since it causes imbalances in root growth substances and related hormones that alter the plant's morphology.     

Comparative Studies on Physiological and Morphological Features of Bearing and Non-Bearing Spurs of the Apple Tree II. The Effect of Fruiting and Growth Regulator Sprays on Respiration Mate of Leaves

The respiration rate was investigated in leaves of bearing and non-bearing spurs of biennially fruiting apple trees, Landsberger Reinette cultivar, with a Warburg apparatus. Trees in “off year” were sprayed with gibberellic acid (GA) and those in “on year” with succinic acid-2,2-dimethylhydra-zide (SADH) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Two-year results showed that the respiration rate of leaves of bearing spurs was 10 to 25 per cent higher than that of the non-bearing spur leaves. GA increased the respiration of leaves of non-bearing spurs about 25 per cent, on an average. SADH and NAA greatly decreased the respiration of bearing spur leaves; the latter about 30 per cent of that of the controls. At the same time SADH and NAA caused a marked reduction of growth in terminal shoots of trees in “on year” while GA increased the growth in “off year” trees about 50 per cent. The surface of the spur leaves was inversely correlated with the respiration rates. It is suggested that the low respiration rate of spur leaves may be a condition for flower bud formation.     

Remobilised nitrogen and root uptake of nitrate for spring leaf growth,flowers and developing fruits of pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees

Both uptake of fertiliser N and remobilisation of stored N were quantified for the early growth of spur and shoot leaves, flowers and fruit development of pear trees. One-year old Abbé F. trees grafted on quince C rootstocks were fertilised with a generous N supply for one year and while dormant during the winter, transferred to sand cultures. Each tree received 3 g of labelled nitrate-N at the end of winter and in early spring. Leaves, flowers and fruit were sampled on 5 separate occasions and the recovery of labelled N used to distinguish the remobilisation of N and the root uptake of nitrate. Remobilisation of stored N accounted for most of the N present in leaves and flowers during blossoming. Remobilisation of nitrogen stopped between petal fall and the beginning of fruit development. Root uptake of nitrate linearly increased over time and at the last sampling, 55 days after bud burst, fertiliser N contributed approximately half of the total N recovered in both spur and shoot leaves, the remainder coming from remobilisation. Flowers and fruits based their N metabolism more on remobilisation as compared to the leaves. This pattern of internal cycling of N is discussed in relation to fertilisation strategies for pear trees.     

Leaf age and season influence the relationships between leaf nitrogen, leaf mass per area and photosynthesis in maple and oak trees

Abstract. Seasonal changes in photosynthesis, leaf nitrogen (N) contents and leaf mass per area (LMA) were observed over three growing seasons in open-grown sun-lit leaves of red maple ( Acer rubrum ), sugar maple ( A. sacchamm ) and northern pin oak ( Quereus ellipsoidalis ) trees in southern Wisconsin. Net photosynthesis and leaf N were highly linearly correlated on both mass and area bases within all species from late spring until leaf senescence in fall. Very early in the growing season leaves had high N concentrations, but low photosynthetic rates per unit leaf N, suggesting that leaves were not fully functionally developed at that time. Leaf N per unit area and LMA had nonparallel seasonal patterns, resulting in differing relationships between leaf N/area and LMA in the "early versus late growing season. As a result of differences in seasonal patterns between leaf N/area and LMA, net photosynthesis/area was higher for a given LMA in the spring than fall, and the overall relationships between these two parameters were poor.     

Iron deficiency in peach trees: effects on leaf chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations in flowers and leaves

The effects of iron deficiency on the leaf chlorophyll concentrations and on the macro- (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micro-nutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) composition of flowers (at full bloom) and leaves (60 and 120 days after full bloom) of field-grown peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) trees were investigated. Flowers and leaves were taken and analysed from fifty individual trees. Our data indicate that large decreases in leaf chlorophyll concentration were found at the beginning of the season in control trees, possibly associated to a dilution effect by leaf growth, that were later followed by leaf chlorophyll concentration increases. Leaf Fe chlorosis apparently results from two different processes, the dilution of leaf Chl caused by growth and the subsequent inability to produce and/or stabilize new Chl molecules in the thylakoid membrane. Iron chlorosis did not change the seasonal change patterns of any of the nutrients studied. In Fe-deficient trees the K concentration and the K/Ca ratio were high not only in leaves but also in flowers, indicating that this is a characteristic of Fe-deficient plant tissue in the whole fruit tree growing season. Flower Fe concentrations were well correlated with the degree of chlorosis developed later in the season by the trees, suggesting that flower analysis could be used for the prognosis of Fe deficiency in peach.